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3.86 AVERAGE
3.86 AVERAGE
emotional
reflective
sad
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
I don’t know about you, but where I am, summer has started and that means chipping away at the summer reading list.
First up, is *In the Absence of Men.* I loved *Lie With Me,* another of Besson’s beautiful queer novels about an affair between two teenage boys in 1984 France. This time, Besson brings us to France in the summer of 1916.
World War I rages on as sixteen-year-old Vincent, too young to fight, meets Marcel. Meeting Marcel triggers something within Vincent and propels him to meet Arthur, a young soldier on leave and the son of his governess. Together, they share a secret that everyone seems to know but no one dares discuss.
Their intense love affair marks Vincent's discovery of first love. They risk everything to be together. Do you remember your first love? Do you remember exploring feelings you couldn't name but couldn't wait to experience again? The novel delves into the raw emotions of desire, longing, and fear that accompany this relationship, capturing how exhilarating and heart-crushing first love can be.
Vincent comes of age as the war rages on. As he processes his feelings and grows more confident in his identity and his love for Arthur, the story traces his path into adulthood and loss of innocence. He navigates complicated and painful relationships while trying to understand both love and himself.
The novel is firmly rooted in gay themes and explores queer love and friendship; I’d go as far as to say this is an important work of queer literature and belongs on the same shelf as many other canonical works. As Pride Month and summer begin, this is exactly the book you'll want to read.
First up, is *In the Absence of Men.* I loved *Lie With Me,* another of Besson’s beautiful queer novels about an affair between two teenage boys in 1984 France. This time, Besson brings us to France in the summer of 1916.
World War I rages on as sixteen-year-old Vincent, too young to fight, meets Marcel. Meeting Marcel triggers something within Vincent and propels him to meet Arthur, a young soldier on leave and the son of his governess. Together, they share a secret that everyone seems to know but no one dares discuss.
Their intense love affair marks Vincent's discovery of first love. They risk everything to be together. Do you remember your first love? Do you remember exploring feelings you couldn't name but couldn't wait to experience again? The novel delves into the raw emotions of desire, longing, and fear that accompany this relationship, capturing how exhilarating and heart-crushing first love can be.
Vincent comes of age as the war rages on. As he processes his feelings and grows more confident in his identity and his love for Arthur, the story traces his path into adulthood and loss of innocence. He navigates complicated and painful relationships while trying to understand both love and himself.
The novel is firmly rooted in gay themes and explores queer love and friendship; I’d go as far as to say this is an important work of queer literature and belongs on the same shelf as many other canonical works. As Pride Month and summer begin, this is exactly the book you'll want to read.
emotional
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I went into this book with high expectations after reading Lie With Me. I think that because of this I may have graded this book on a curve, but I overall stand by my opinions.
The prose of this book is incredible. Besson writes things in a way that is truly beautiful and eye-catching. That is by far the strength of this book. everything else did not really connect with me. I found the main character annoying and unrealistic with how he observes and writes especially for his age. Additionally, although the book is French, I found the age gap between the main character and Marcel to be a bit over the top, especially because I am not sure what connective tissue the two could have to talk about, and I did not really buy the infatuation that Marcel had with Vincent.
Additionally, I felt like the final twist at the end of the novel was not really earned. Especially because there was not much time to breathe or incorporate that into the story as the novel ends like 3 pages later. Overall, the prose is great, but in my opinion the book is not as strong in any other category.
The prose of this book is incredible. Besson writes things in a way that is truly beautiful and eye-catching. That is by far the strength of this book. everything else did not really connect with me. I found the main character annoying and unrealistic with how he observes and writes especially for his age. Additionally, although the book is French, I found the age gap between the main character and Marcel to be a bit over the top, especially because I am not sure what connective tissue the two could have to talk about, and I did not really buy the infatuation that Marcel had with Vincent.
Additionally, I felt like the final twist at the end of the novel was not really earned. Especially because there was not much time to breathe or incorporate that into the story as the novel ends like 3 pages later. Overall, the prose is great, but in my opinion the book is not as strong in any other category.
I want to start by saying it is a beautiful book. I’ve read Lie With Me and it’s one of my all time favorite books, so I came in with extremely high expectations. I just didn’t connect with the characters. I feel like it’s a story that had everything to be a favorite for me but it just didn’t happen.
emotional
sad
medium-paced
Incredibly tender.
I really enjoyed reading this book and I teared up a couple of times. The writing is sublime and I fear I wouldn't have understood a word had I read it in the French original.
Summary (with some spoilers):
Over the course of 7 days in the summer of 1916, young soldier Arthur who is currently on leave sneaks through the bedroom window of the main character Vincent.
Arthur's daily confrontation with violent bloodshed and the death of his comrades makes him bold and forces him to confess his feelings to Vincent.
They try to make the most of those seven days - or rather those seven nights because their class difference would make people talk if they were seen together.
It is during the day that Vincent meets up with illustrious author Marcel with whom he shares an unspoken bond.
Once Arthur has to go back to the front, uncertain if he will ever return, and Marcel is called away to some family business, Vincent is left to writing to and receiving letters from these two men.
Every letter from Arthur could be the last and the letters from Marcel caution him against the heartbreak he is speeding towards.
I really enjoyed reading this book and I teared up a couple of times. The writing is sublime and I fear I wouldn't have understood a word had I read it in the French original.
Summary (with some spoilers):
Over the course of 7 days in the summer of 1916, young soldier Arthur who is currently on leave sneaks through the bedroom window of the main character Vincent.
Arthur's daily confrontation with violent bloodshed and the death of his comrades makes him bold and forces him to confess his feelings to Vincent.
They try to make the most of those seven days - or rather those seven nights because their class difference would make people talk if they were seen together.
It is during the day that Vincent meets up with illustrious author Marcel with whom he shares an unspoken bond.
Once Arthur has to go back to the front, uncertain if he will ever return, and Marcel is called away to some family business, Vincent is left to writing to and receiving letters from these two men.
Every letter from Arthur could be the last and the letters from Marcel caution him against the heartbreak he is speeding towards.
Content Warnings
Minor: Death, Gun violence, War
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Frérot tu peux aller au but? trop verbose et cette manie bizarre de répéter que Vincent à 16 ans. Pourquoi???
la fin 🚮
la fin 🚮
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
emotional
inspiring
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
I’m not okay 💔😭 Vincent is such an interesting character, his views on about life are rooted in the present moment. The author writes in very short sentences, which I think conveys Vincent’s honesty.